Email, short message service (SMS) text messages, or the like are often used to notify a user of an action related to a service or a computer application. For instance, a computer user may receive an email message as a notification so that the user will see emails appear in his or her inbox for new items from the service or application providing an event warranting the notification. For example, a user may receive an email message indicating that the user has received a voicemail message or that a blog entry has been made that includes an answer to a question posted at the blog by the user. In another example, a user may receive a text message indicating that a package has been delivered at the user's home.
Often, a computer user may receive an electronic notification in the form of an email message or the like only after learning of the action. Referring again to the abovementioned examples, the user may receive an email message informing the user of a voicemail message, package delivery, etc. after the user has retrieved the voicemail message, received the package, and so on. An email notification delivered after the corresponding action has been performed is of little or no interest to the user. In order to clear an already processed item, a user must both visit the email application as well as each interface in the application to view the items that still appear as unread. The user must then process the unread items, for example, “open” each unread message, so that the items no longer appear as new or unread.